Seattle / Tacoma

International Museum Day is upon us! And for this reason, May 17 and 18, 2012, are great days to get out and enjoy the local museums.

Friday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Seattle Art Museum and Seattle Asian Art Museum are open to the public for free! All exhibits in both buildings are open for this deal.

Tacoma Art Museum is combining International Museum Day with its monthly Third Thursday event. On Thursday, May 17, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., TAM admission is free and there will be some special events centered around Tacoma's Bike Month, including free posters and a film screening.

Museum of Glass in Tacoma is also open for free for Third Thursday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Summer camp is one of the best things to do for kids over the summer. Most summer camp programs last a matter of days, while others last a couple weeks. Most are day camps, requiring little more than dropping the kids off in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon. Most have options of full days or half days. Still, if you want your kids to have that quintessential away-from-home overnight summer camp, there are those as well. Specifically, look to Wilderness Awareness School or the YMCA.

No matter what your kids are into, summer camps in the Seattle area can accommodate. Learn about theatre or performing arts at Seattle Art Museum or Camp ZinZanni. Kick a soccer ball around with the Sounders Summer Camp program, or shoot some hoops with the Seattle Storm programs. Or even learn how to program a computer or write a play with the University of Washington's many courses available to kids and teens!

On May 12 and 13, Pike Place Market ensures you won't go empty handed if you need flowers for Mother's Day.

The market always has some of the most beautiful flowers in town, but the Pike Place Market Flower Festival brings out about 40 bonus tents, filled with flower merchants and an eye-popping display of color. There is also a free Card Making Booth where everyone can create a personalized card for Mom.

The festival lines Pike Street between Pine and Virginia. The festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

New Content Alert: Seattle Events for July 2012

Gig Harbor is a small town just on the other side of the Narrows Bridge from Tacoma. In May 2012, this town of just over 7,000 residents right along the shores of the Puget Sound was voted as one of the 20 Best Small Towns in America by Smithsonian.com.

What makes Gig Harbor so special? For starters, the harbor area is adorable. Shops and art galleries line the streets along the water. Restaurants join in as well, providing casual eateries and fine dining, both with water views. Try the Tides Tavern, the local Anthony's, or Morso, a wine bar with its own gallery space.

Away from the harbor, the town is largely residential with ample park spaces and towering evergreens lining its winding streets. To see Gig Harbor from another view, park at War Memorial Park in Tacoma and walk across the Narrows Bridge.

In honor of the Seattle Center's 50th anniversary, About.com's Embroidery Guide has created an embroidery pattern of the Space Needle.

The link includes instructions and tips to complete the project, and the Embroidery site has many articles about embroidery techniques if you're a beginner. There are plenty of other patterns, too.

New Content Alert: Pike Place Market

Kids Bowl Free is a unique program designed to give families one more option to entertain the kids during the summer.

Bowling alleys all throughout Western Washington partner with the program and offer two games of bowling each day to kids all summer, which adds up to a lot of free things to do for the kiddies. Parents will still have to spring for shoe rental, but some alleys have discounted shoes, kid prices, or even unlimited shoe passes available for a fee.

Parents can also get the Family Pass so they can bowl too. In 2012, this pass costs $24.95 and also includes two free games for adults all summer long! But you do have to have a registered child in the program to enjoy this perk.

The 2012 Olympics in London kick off July 27. When they do, a number of Seattle athletes will be among the many competing. Some of our local athletes were born and raised here, while others attended local universities, and others play for local sports teams. Cheer them all on when the games begin!

Nathan Adrian from Bremerton - Swimming

Sue Bird from Seattle - Basketball (point guard for Seattle Storm)

Stephanie Cox from Gig Harbor - Soccer for Seattle Sounders Women

Kady Glessner from Seattle - Rowing

Megan Kalmoe attended University of Washington - Rowing

Scott Gault attended University of Washington - Rowing

Ariana Kukors from Auburn - Swimming

Bernard Lagat attended Washington State University - Track & Field

Sydney Leroux plays for Seattle Sounders Women - Soccer

Marti Malloy from Oak Harbor - Judo

Adrienne Martelli from University Place - Rowing

Alex Morgan plays for Seattle Sounders Women - Soccer

Brett Newlin attended University of Washington - Rowing

Megan Rapinoe plays for Seattle Sounders Women - Soccer

Jamie Redman from Spokane - Rowing

Jennie Reed from Kirkland - Cycling

Hope Solo from Richland - Soccer

Travis Stevens from Bellevue - Judo

Queen Underwood from Seattle - Boxing

Mary Whipple attended University of Washington - Rowing

For full bios on the athletes, click here.

Cinco de Mayo is coming up in a couple of days. While this holiday may not show up on your radar, it is a great day to get out and enjoy the city. Seattle Children's Museum at Seattle Center has a Cinco de Mayo  celebration with lots of kids activities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Adults might want to hop aboard the Queen of Seattle for a Cinco de Mayo cruise, or catch the late show at Teatro Zinzanni.

Taco Time NW has a special deal on to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Get five crispy beef tacos for $5 on May 5. For vegetarians, fat-free pinto beans can be substituted for beef. Taco Time locations are scattered all throughout Western Washington.

BoltBus will soon offer a whole new way to travel between Seattle and Portland. With $1 fares, Wi-Fi, and increased legroom, BoltBus means there's finally a cheap way to travel between these two Northwest cities that's also comfortable!

The Seattle BoltBus station will be at 5^th Avenue South and King Street. The Portland BoltBus station will be at 647 SW Salmon Street.

BoltBus service begins May 17 and more information about the bus service is soon to come.

Mother's Day is upon us in a mere two weeks! If you're on the look out for ideas, there are many ways to celebrate Mom on May 13.

One of the most popular Mother's Day activities is brunch, and for good reason. What better way is there to say "thank you" than to sit down over a beautifully prepared spread of amazing food? Seattle and Tacoma both have some delectable restaurants serving up brunch this year!

Below is a list of restaurants putting on special deals or brunches for Mother's Day. For a full list, see the always useful OpenTable.com.

Seattle Mother's Day Brunch Restaurants

• Art Restaurant and Lounge at the Four Seasons
• BluWater Bistro - several locations
• BOKA Kitchen + Bar
• Buca di Beppo
• Capital Grille
• Chandler's Crabhouse
• Daniel's Broiler
• emmer & rye
• Hook & Plow
• Il Fornaio
• Ivar's Salmon House
• Library Bistro
• Local 360 Cafe & Bar
• Maximilien
• McCormick & Schmick's Seafood
• The Melting Pot - several locations
• Osteria La Spiga
• Ponti Seafood Grill
• RN74
• Ruth's Chris Steak House - several locations
• Ship Canal Grill
• Sullivan's Steakhouse
• Tulio

Tacoma Mother's Day Brunch Restaurants

• BITE Restaurant - Tacoma
• Brix 25
• C.I. Shenanigan's
• Lobster Shop
• Pacific Grill